Sheet discharge assembly for a printer

Abstract

A printer for printing individual sheets from a continuous feed roll includes a housing configured for receipt of a feed roll of sheet material, and a print mechanism disposed within the housing, whereby the sheet material is conveyed within the housing to print mechanism. A sheet separating device is disposed within the housing downstream of the print mechanism to separate the sheet material into individual printed sheets. A discharge assembly is disposed downstream of the sheet separating device and defines a gap through which the sheet material is advanced. At least one protruding member is disposed in the gap at a position so as to contact and deflect the sheet material and to impart a curved transverse profile to a trailing edge of a first individual sheet held in the gap. In this manner, a leading edge of a subsequent sheet bisects the curved trailing edge of the first sheet and pushes the first sheet out of the gap as the second sheet is advanced through the print mechanism.

1. A printer configured for printing individual sheets from a continuous feed roll, comprising:
 a housing configured for receipt of a feed roll of sheet material; 
 a print mechanism disposed within said housing, whereby the sheet material is conveyed within said housing to said print mechanism; 
 a sheet separating device disposed within said housing downstream of said print mechanism to separate the sheet material into individual printed sheets; 
 a discharge assembly disposed downstream of said sheet separating device, said discharge assembly defining a gap extending across the conveying path of the sheet material through which the sheet material is advanced; 
 a plurality of opposed protruding members disposed in said gap at a position so as to contact and deflect the sheet material as the sheet material moves through said gap, and to impart a curved transverse profile to a trailing edge of a first individual sheet held in said gap; 
 whereby a leading edge of a subsequent second individual sheet bisects the curved trailing edge of the first individual sheet and pushes the first individual sheet out of said gap as the second individual sheet is advanced through said print mechanism; and 
 said discharge assembly further comprising a discharge tray that defines a stationary component of said gap, at least one of said protruding members disposed on said discharge tray. 
 
     
     
       2. The printer as in  claim 1 , wherein said discharge assembly is formed integral with said housing. 
     
     
       3. The printer as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said protruding members is spring-biased into said gap. 
     
     
       4. The printer as in  claim 1 , said discharge assembly further comprising a cover member that pivots from a closed position to an open position relative to said housing, said cover member defining said gap in said closed position. 
     
     
       5. The printer as in  claim 1 , wherein said printer is configurable with a lottery ticket terminal. 
     
     
       6. A printer configured for printing individual sheets from a continuous feed roll, comprising:
 a housing configured for receipt of a feed roll of sheet material; 
 a print mechanism disposed within said housing, whereby the sheet material is conveyed within said housing to said print mechanism; 
 a sheet separating device disposed within said housing downstream of said print mechanism to separate the sheet material into individual printed sheets; 
 a discharge assembly disposed downstream of said sheet separating device, said discharge assembly defining a gap extending across the conveying path of the sheet material through which the sheet material is advanced; 
 at least one protruding member disposed in said gap at a position so as to contact and deflect the sheet material as the sheet material moves through said gap, and to impart a curved transverse profile to a trailing edge of a first individual sheet held in said gap; 
 whereby a leading edge of a subsequent second individual sheet bisects the curved trailing edge of the first individual sheet and pushes the first individual sheet out of said gap as the second individual sheet is advanced through said print mechanism; and 
 wherein said discharge assembly comprises a first member and a second opposed member with said gap defined between said members and said protruding member configured on one of said first or second members, at least one of said first or second members being biased towards the other respective said member such that a trailing portion of the first individual sheet is held between said first and second members with the trailing edge of the first individual sheet presented to the leading edge of the second individual sheet. 
 
     
     
       7. The printer as in  claim 6 , wherein one of said first or second members is stationary, and the other respective member is biased towards said stationary member. 
     
     
       8. The printer as in  claim 7 , comprising a plurality of said protruding members spaced apart and extending into said gap, at least one of said protruding members disposed on said stationary member, and at least one of said protruding members disposed on said biased member. 
     
     
       9. The printer as in  claim 8 , wherein said protruding members are disposed so as to impart a serpentine transverse profile to the trailing edge of the first individual sheet. 
     
     
       10. The printer as in  claim 6 , further comprising a cover that moves from a closed position to an open position relative to said housing, one of said first or second members defined by said cover. 
     
     
       11. A printer configured for printing individual sheets from a continuous feed roll, comprising:
 a housing configured for receipt of a feed roll of sheet material; 
 a print mechanism disposed within said housing, whereby the sheet material is conveyed within said housing to said print mechanism; 
 a sheet separating device disposed within said housing downstream of said print mechanism to separate the sheet material into individual printed sheets; 
 a discharge assembly disposed downstream of said sheet separating device, said discharge assembly including a cover member that pivots from a closed position to an open position relative to said housing, in the closed position said discharge assembly defining a gap extending across the conveying path of the sheet material through which the sheet material is advanced; 
 at least one protruding member disposed in said gap at a position so as to contact and deflect the sheet material as the sheet material moves through said gap, and to impart a curved transverse profile to a trailing edge of a first individual sheet held in said gap; 
 whereby a leading edge of a subsequent second individual sheet bisects the curved trailing edge of the first individual sheet and pushes the first individual sheet out of said gap as the second individual sheet is advanced through said print mechanism; and 
 wherein said protruding member is defined on an underside of said cover member and is spring-biased into said gap so as to urge the sheet material against said protruding member. 
 
     
     
       12. The printer as in  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of said spring-biased protruding members disposed on said cover member across said gap so as to define a serpentine path for the sheet material through said gap.